By Subhro Niyogi and Saikat Ray
copyright: The Times of India
Kolkata/Midnapore/Purulia: Jatra, the most popular form of Bengali folk theatre that has been the mainstay for entertainment in rural Bengal for long, is in the throes of an existential crisis with musicals drowned under the incessant rat-a-tat of gunfire in Jangalmahal.
Though jatra is popular across the towns and villages of south Bengal, it is shows in the West Midnapore-Purulia-Bankura belt that garner nearly half the annual turnover of over Rs 100 crore. But with access to the Maoist badlands of Bengal fraught with danger since last year, it is crisis time in jatra paras like Kolkata’s Chitpore.
Not only is there a threat of being caught in the crossfire between guerrillas and security forces in jungles adjoining the grounds where jatra palas or shows were held till 2008, but police, too, have been reluctant to grant permission citing security concerns. And this has pushed the 500-odd jatra firms in Chitpore, Belda, Nandakumar, Kamarpukur and Namkhana into a corner.
"In the past, the jatra industry encountered competition from several quarters, the biggest threat coming from the proliferation of satellite television in small towns and villages. But it has never been as crippling as now, with the big markets of Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura shutting down," said Swapan Kundu, manager of Tara Ma Opera, a medium-budget jatra firm that has been in the business for half a century.
This has pushed some firms to the brink of financial disaster. Some, like the small-budget firm owned by Tapan and Moumita Bhattacharya, have had to down shutters. The duo was crushed under the load of debt after their Rs 5-6 lakh production bombed.
Big-budget jatra firms that invest Rs 30-50 lakh in elaborately mounted productions and medium-budget ones that pump in Rs 15-20 lakh are also in trouble. Many have been unable to repay last year’s loans and face the prospect of shutdown.
"With the three districts out of bounds, the market has shrunk drastically. Competition is intense. Only those with deep pockets will survive," said Tapas Das, owner of Debanjali and Debibandana operas.
He has roped in Bollywood’s Kader Khan to pull the crowds and tide over the crisis. But with bookings nosediving from 23-25 shows a month to 13-15 this year, even Khan’s presence may not be enough.
Other big-budget opera firms have roped in Asrani, Dev, Koel Mullick, Rachana Banerjee, Tapas Pal and Satabdi Ray. Some are also copying Bengali masala movies like ‘Poran Jai Joliya Re’ to script success. But hits have been few and far between and salaries of artistes as well as technicians have been pared to keep companies afloat. The situation is so dire that many like Debanjali opera manager Ashok Majhi are willing to quit the industry if they land a job with a monthly pay pack of Rs 2,000. Though jatra firms are now aggressively exploring other districts, the returns are nowhere as good as from Satpati, Pirakata, Lalgarh, Goaltore, Dhanghori, Ramgarh, Kantapahari or Bamal in Jangalmahal, where plays drew crowds of over 10,000. In Jhargram sub-division, Manikpara next to the station, Netaji Club, Sardiha haat ground, Ramkrishna bazar area, Khalshiuli, Balihata, Khemasuli, Balla and Lodhasuli were popular spots with locals enjoying jatra nights from October to December.
"Plays would be sellouts with tickets priced at Rs 25-100. Youths from the area would book jatra shows by investing Rs 2,000-5,000 each. The money could be easily recovered and one even had a decent profit to show. But all that has changed since last year," said Srikanta Mahato, a member of Dhinpur Abarani Sangha, which used to organize several jatra shows each year but haven’t since last December.
While getting police permission is a problem given the constant skirmishes between the security forces and the Maoists, the safety of performers as well as the audience is also an issue.
In the odd shows that still happen in Bankura and Purulia, the artistes are at their theatrical best, mesmerizing the audience with electrifying performance when on stage. But catch them in the green room with the greasepaint off and fear is writ large on their faces. "The law and order situation in these districts leads to safety concerns, which need to be addressed before we travel. With the administration unable to commit safety beyond the urban areas, an element of risk remains," said Rachana.
While MPs Tapas Pal and Satabdi Roy have elaborate security arrangements of their own when they go out to do shows of ‘Hiya Majhe Mor Priya’, Gopal Das, manager of Swarnadeep Opera — that has mounted the jatra ‘Swapnapurir Rajkanya’ with Rachana — is planning to engage private security guards when the opera travels to Maoist-hit districts.
The issue of audience safety, however, persists. "It will not make commercial sense unless people travel from a number of villages to watch the show. Their returning home late in the evening or night is a matter of concern. Even if we start a show within minutes of sunset, it cannot end before 8.30-9 pm and that is a problem in the current circumstances," said a member of Panimandir Club, which used to organize jatras in the Lalgarh bazar area.
Midnapore SDO Moloy Mukherjee and his Jhargram counterpart C Murugan said there had been no requests from jatra organizers during the turmoil in the past two years. "If orgainzers come, we will scrutinize the feasibility," Murugan said.
Permission, though, is unlikely to be granted in "sensitive" areas as movement of people in large numbers and big gatherings are perceived as threats. "What happens if Maoists take cover in the crowd and then strike?" said Bankura SP Pranab Kumar. "We hesitate to give permission in remote areas where we don’t have adequate force," said Purulia SP Rajesh Yadav.
Lalgarh I-C Ashok Bose acknowledged the need for entertainment in the violence-scarred region and discussed the matter with West Midnapore SP Manoj Verma. This Dashami, the police band was brought from Kolkata to perform there. "We hear the situation is improving and are keeping our fingers crossed for jatras to begin there again," said Gitanjali opera manager Surya Sen.
Kolkata/Midnapore/Purulia: Jatra, the most popular form of Bengali folk theatre that has been the mainstay for entertainment in rural Bengal for long, is in the throes of an existential crisis with musicals drowned under the incessant rat-a-tat of gunfire in Jangalmahal.
Though jatra is popular across the towns and villages of south Bengal, it is shows in the West Midnapore-Purulia-Bankura belt that garner nearly half the annual turnover of over Rs 100 crore. But with access to the Maoist badlands of Bengal fraught with danger since last year, it is crisis time in jatra paras like Kolkata’s Chitpore.
Not only is there a threat of being caught in the crossfire between guerrillas and security forces in jungles adjoining the grounds where jatra palas or shows were held till 2008, but police, too, have been reluctant to grant permission citing security concerns. And this has pushed the 500-odd jatra firms in Chitpore, Belda, Nandakumar, Kamarpukur and Namkhana into a corner.
"In the past, the jatra industry encountered competition from several quarters, the biggest threat coming from the proliferation of satellite television in small towns and villages. But it has never been as crippling as now, with the big markets of Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura shutting down," said Swapan Kundu, manager of Tara Ma Opera, a medium-budget jatra firm that has been in the business for half a century.
This has pushed some firms to the brink of financial disaster. Some, like the small-budget firm owned by Tapan and Moumita Bhattacharya, have had to down shutters. The duo was crushed under the load of debt after their Rs 5-6 lakh production bombed.
Big-budget jatra firms that invest Rs 30-50 lakh in elaborately mounted productions and medium-budget ones that pump in Rs 15-20 lakh are also in trouble. Many have been unable to repay last year’s loans and face the prospect of shutdown.
"With the three districts out of bounds, the market has shrunk drastically. Competition is intense. Only those with deep pockets will survive," said Tapas Das, owner of Debanjali and Debibandana operas.
He has roped in Bollywood’s Kader Khan to pull the crowds and tide over the crisis. But with bookings nosediving from 23-25 shows a month to 13-15 this year, even Khan’s presence may not be enough.
Other big-budget opera firms have roped in Asrani, Dev, Koel Mullick, Rachana Banerjee, Tapas Pal and Satabdi Ray. Some are also copying Bengali masala movies like ‘Poran Jai Joliya Re’ to script success. But hits have been few and far between and salaries of artistes as well as technicians have been pared to keep companies afloat. The situation is so dire that many like Debanjali opera manager Ashok Majhi are willing to quit the industry if they land a job with a monthly pay pack of Rs 2,000. Though jatra firms are now aggressively exploring other districts, the returns are nowhere as good as from Satpati, Pirakata, Lalgarh, Goaltore, Dhanghori, Ramgarh, Kantapahari or Bamal in Jangalmahal, where plays drew crowds of over 10,000. In Jhargram sub-division, Manikpara next to the station, Netaji Club, Sardiha haat ground, Ramkrishna bazar area, Khalshiuli, Balihata, Khemasuli, Balla and Lodhasuli were popular spots with locals enjoying jatra nights from October to December.
"Plays would be sellouts with tickets priced at Rs 25-100. Youths from the area would book jatra shows by investing Rs 2,000-5,000 each. The money could be easily recovered and one even had a decent profit to show. But all that has changed since last year," said Srikanta Mahato, a member of Dhinpur Abarani Sangha, which used to organize several jatra shows each year but haven’t since last December.
While getting police permission is a problem given the constant skirmishes between the security forces and the Maoists, the safety of performers as well as the audience is also an issue.
In the odd shows that still happen in Bankura and Purulia, the artistes are at their theatrical best, mesmerizing the audience with electrifying performance when on stage. But catch them in the green room with the greasepaint off and fear is writ large on their faces. "The law and order situation in these districts leads to safety concerns, which need to be addressed before we travel. With the administration unable to commit safety beyond the urban areas, an element of risk remains," said Rachana.
While MPs Tapas Pal and Satabdi Roy have elaborate security arrangements of their own when they go out to do shows of ‘Hiya Majhe Mor Priya’, Gopal Das, manager of Swarnadeep Opera — that has mounted the jatra ‘Swapnapurir Rajkanya’ with Rachana — is planning to engage private security guards when the opera travels to Maoist-hit districts.
The issue of audience safety, however, persists. "It will not make commercial sense unless people travel from a number of villages to watch the show. Their returning home late in the evening or night is a matter of concern. Even if we start a show within minutes of sunset, it cannot end before 8.30-9 pm and that is a problem in the current circumstances," said a member of Panimandir Club, which used to organize jatras in the Lalgarh bazar area.
Midnapore SDO Moloy Mukherjee and his Jhargram counterpart C Murugan said there had been no requests from jatra organizers during the turmoil in the past two years. "If orgainzers come, we will scrutinize the feasibility," Murugan said.
Permission, though, is unlikely to be granted in "sensitive" areas as movement of people in large numbers and big gatherings are perceived as threats. "What happens if Maoists take cover in the crowd and then strike?" said Bankura SP Pranab Kumar. "We hesitate to give permission in remote areas where we don’t have adequate force," said Purulia SP Rajesh Yadav.
Lalgarh I-C Ashok Bose acknowledged the need for entertainment in the violence-scarred region and discussed the matter with West Midnapore SP Manoj Verma. This Dashami, the police band was brought from Kolkata to perform there. "We hear the situation is improving and are keeping our fingers crossed for jatras to begin there again," said Gitanjali opera manager Surya Sen.
